Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 156: Get Married

“What did you say? The county magistrate’s niece?”

Wei Shi thought she must have misheard, glancing at Liu Yanqing before looking at Liu Yu next to her.

Liu Yanqing also knew that this marriage proposal had come out of the blue, so he couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

But Liu Yu remembered that on the opening day of the embroidery shop, Madam Zhang had brought three young women with her—the youngest was her own daughter, and the other two were her nieces.

Liu Yu did recall them and asked Liu Yanqing, “Madam Zhang seems to have two nieces. Is it the older one?”

Liu Yanqing had never met Zhang Xiaorong and didn’t know who was older or younger, so he said, “She looked about sixteen or seventeen.”

Liu Yu smiled and then turned to Wei Shi. “Aunt, if the magistrate’s family only has two nieces in town, then you must have seen the girl Brother is talking about. She came with Madam Zhang on our opening day—the one who seemed quite gentle.”

Hearing this, Wei Shi thought about it carefully and did have some recollection.

Though more than two months had passed, she couldn’t forget a lady from the magistrate’s family, especially since they were the shop’s first customers. Looking at Liu Yu, she confirmed, “Is it the one who bought a set of fine cotton clothes that were slightly too big? She said she would alter it herself?”

Liu Yu laughed, “That’s likely her.”

With this realization, even Wei Shi began to feel a surge of joy. If it was that girl, it would indeed be excellent.

But as the happiness rose, she couldn’t help but hesitate. Looking at Liu Yanqing, she asked, “The magistrate’s niece, can she really marry into our family?”

It wasn’t that Wei Shi look down on her son, but Zhang Xiaofu was quite pretty, and with an uncle who was a county magistrate, it wouldn’t be hard for her to find a promising young man. Why would she choose Yanqing?

Several thoughts crossed her mind: was it the girl herself who fancied Yanqing, or was there something else?

Not wanting to speculate without reason, she looked at Liu Yanqing, waiting for his explanation.

Liu Yanqing rubbed his nose and said, “Master Zhang was very open with me. Besides approving of me, there are two other reasons.”

Wei Shi and Liu Yu looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

“First, because our family has opened this embroidery shop, Master Zhang thinks our family is at least well-off, so Miss Zhang would have a good life if she married into our family.”

Wei Shi nodded. Since the embroidery shop had been open for two months, their family’s life had indeed improved significantly. With time and accumulated experience, in three to five years, they might even become one of the wealthier households in the county.

“The second reason—Mother, you once delivered some clothes to the inner quarters of the magistrate’s residence, didn’t you?”

This involved her too? Wei Shi was a bit confused but nodded, “Yes, I did. After we first opened, we sent out red tickets, and Madam Zhang ordered some clothes. I delivered them myself.”

Liu Yanqing explained, “It was during that visit. Madam Zhang mentioned to the magistrate that she thought you had a good temperament. That’s when they began to consider matching their niece with our family.”

So this marriage fell into his lap because his mother and sister’s embroidery shop was successful, and his mother had a kind personality. He himself seemed almost like an afterthought.

Liu Yanqing couldn’t help but smile as he spoke.

Liu Yu was already laughing. “Brother, your magistrate Zhang is quite an interesting character.”

The fact that he could lay things out so clearly made him quite remarkable.

But it was precisely because the magistrate was so straightforward that Liu Yanqing was able to accept it so quickly. Wei Shi, though initially bewildered, soon found her doubts dissipated and laughed along.

From a mother’s perspective, Wei Shi understood the thoughts of the magistrate and his wife. A stable household would ensure a good life, and a kind mother-in-law would lead to a peaceful home. She also knew that her eldest son was quite handsome, and though he wasn’t an official, he was both capable and cultured, with no real flaws. The magistrate and his wife truly seemed to be considering their niece’s best interests.

Looking at it this way, it seemed like an ideal match, and Wei Shi smiled, “If that young lady marries into our family, she’ll surely have a comfortable life.”

She paused and then asked, “But does the girl herself want this?”

This was the key question.

It made Liu Yanqing think back to his recent meeting with Zhang Xiaofu in the garden, and a faint smile appeared on his lips as he nodded, “She seems willing.”

Wei Shi noticed the subtle signs and leaned in, “You’ve met her?”

Liu Yu, already amused, teased, “I bet Brother not only met her but is quite fond of Miss Zhang.”

If he didn’t like her, he wouldn’t have agreed to this marriage so quickly, nor would he have rushed home right after his shift to tell Wei Shi about it.

Liu Yanqing was caught out, he didn’t deny it; he just smiled, which was as good as an admission.

This delighted Wei Shi, who laughed, “This is wonderful! Our iron lump has finally bloomed in spring.”

For years, she had envied other families whose children were settled, and now, her eldest son was finally considering marriage.

Excited, Wei Shi began planning immediately, “I was already looking for a matchmaker to find a suitable girl for you. But now we don’t need to look anymore. We can ask the matchmaker to go directly to the Zhang family to propose.”

Although they still needed to follow the proper steps, with the formal meetings and six traditional betrothal gifts, this process would take at least a few months, possibly up to half a year. After her initial excitement, Wei Shi felt a bit hesitant again.

Marrying the county magistrate’s niece certainly brings pressure. While the Liu family is now financially stable, their foundation is still shallow. For instance, when it comes to living arrangements, this could pose a significant problem.

The Liu family’s legitimate home is the small two-courtyard house in Yangshan Village, and their current residence is behind the embroidery shop in the county. For any other bride, Wei Shi wouldn’t think twice about it, but for the niece of a county magistrate…

After all, a magistrate is still an official.

When she considered this, Wei Shi began to feel that their village home seemed a bit shabby, and the quarters behind the shop weren’t quite a proper residence.

She was genuinely worried.

Seeing her expression, Liu Yanqing asked, “Mother, is something troubling you?”

Of course, something was troubling her.

Wei Shi shared her concerns, saying, “After all, she’s the daughter of an official family. Won’t she find our home lacking?”

Liu Yanqing smiled and replied, “Actually, I asked her about it. I told her that the most I could achieve would be to become a head constable, which isn’t particularly ambitious. But Miss Zhang said she herself comes from a farming family, where her father and brothers work the land, so our families are well-matched.”

As he spoke, there was a gentle warmth in his tone.

Liu Yu now understood why her brother was willing to marry Miss Zhang. A girl like her, gentle as water, could soften even the hardest heart.

That one comment from Zhang Xiaofu instantly won Wei Shi’s favor. Her anxiety about “marrying up” eased, and she began to like her future daughter-in-law even more.

Liu Yu added, “Auntie, don’t worry. I think Miss Zhang has a good temperament. And think about it—if the magistrate wants to marry his niece to my brother, they must have already investigated our family’s situation thoroughly. When I got married, Madam Zhang’s attendant, Mother Yu, even came to our house to deliver wedding gifts. The Zhang family must be well aware of our circumstances. We just need to live as we always do. In a year or two, we’ll have everything we need, so there’s no need to dwell on it now.”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Wei Shi said, recalling that indeed, Madam Zhang had sent Mother Yu to deliver gifts during Liu Yu’s wedding. Upon reflection, everything made sense.

As the county magistrate, how could he have sent his wife’s attendant to deliver wedding gifts for the marriage of an constable’s sister? Clearly, the Zhang family had already been considering a match at that time.

Understanding this, Wei Shi completely relaxed and smiled, saying, “Yu’er, go tend to the business up front. I’m going to visit the matchmaker right away.”

She had initially sought out the matchmaker to find a bride for her eldest son, but now that they had set their sights on Zhang Xiaofu, there was no need for the matchmaker to continue searching. She would also need to discuss the marriage proposal and the formal meeting.

Liu Yu smiled and agreed, while Liu Yanqing, needing to return to the government office, was teased by Liu Yu, who wished him joy before he hurried off.

Wei Shi returned to her room to fetch some money, then came out and, smiling, said to Liu Yu, “Your brother’s marriage is thanks to you.”

Liu Yu was puzzled.

Wei Shi laughed and said, “If it weren’t for your idea of sending out those red invitations, we wouldn’t have this marriage now.”

In fact, it wasn’t just this—if it weren’t for the embroidery shop, Madam Zhang wouldn’t have thought of marrying her niece to Yanqing.

Liu Yu laughed and said, “Then when the time comes, I’ll expect a thick matchmaker’s red envelope from my brother and sister-in-law.”

Wei Shi laughed heartily, “That can be arranged.”

After exchanging a few more jokes, Wei Shi bustled out to visit the matchmaker.

Later that afternoon, Liu Yanping and Liu Yanan returned home just as Wei Shi was coming back from the matchmaker’s house. She was all smiles as she shared the news with her second and third sons, leaving the two of them stunned.

They were aware that Wei Shi had been preparing to arrange a marriage for their eldest brother, but in the morning, she had only mentioned sending the matchmaker to search for a suitable bride. Yet now, in just half a day, the marriage was settled?

And it was with the county magistrate’s niece!

It was almost too surprising.

The Liu family spent the entire day in joyful celebration. When asked about how the marriage came about, Liu Yanqing didn’t say much, but Wei Shi was more than happy to recount the details.

In addition to what Liu Yanqing had mentioned, she also praised the young woman, who they suspected was Zhang Xiaofu, as she had seen her on the day the embroidery shop opened. While discussing matters in the backyard, Liu Yu, working in the front of the shop, could easily sense Wei Shi’s joy.

It wasn’t just Liu Yu who noticed; the embroiderers and seamstresses in the shop also heard the news and came out to offer their congratulations. At that moment, Wei Shi had to suppress her excitement, saying, “It’s not finalized yet, so let’s keep it quiet for now. Once it’s official, I’ll give everyone a share of the celebration money.”

The embroiderers naturally agreed, thanked her with smiles, and returned to their work.

But knowing that their boss’s eldest son was going to marry into the county magistrate’s family made them all happy because it meant that the Ruyi Embroidery Shop’s future would be even more secure.

Business was busy, so despite her excitement, Wei Shi didn’t dare linger. She returned to handle the matters Liu Yu had been managing, allowing Liu Yu to have time to go back to the tailoring room to cut fabric.

~

In the evening, Liu Yu returned to the Lu family and shared the news about the possible engagement between her brother and Zhang Xiaofu with Lu Chengxiao. He was first surprised, then delighted, saying, “If that young woman is as you described, this is absolutely a great match.”

Liu Yanqing marrying Zhang Xiaofu would mean he would have an uncle who was a county magistrate, which would benefit his future career and even the Liu family’s embroidery shop.

But most importantly, Liu Yanqing truly liked the young woman, making it an excellent match.

~

Since it was County Magistrate Zhang and his wife who first expressed interest in Liu Yanqing, the engagement between Liu Yanqing and Zhang Xiaofu proceeded very smoothly. Wei Shi accompanied Liu Yanqing and the matchmaker to visit the Zhang family, and she returned home so overjoyed that she couldn’t stop smiling.

The young lady from the Zhang family turned out to be exactly who Wei Shi and Liu Yu had suspected—the same one who had left such a good impression on Wei Shi on the day of the embroidery shop’s grand opening. With Liu Yanqing having shared that touching comment from Zhang Xiaofu, and upon seeing the young woman in person, who was poised and gracious, Wei Shi was completely won over. According to Mrs. Zhang, Zhang Xiaofu had learned to read and write from her third uncle from a young age, and she was both literate and good with numbers. When she met Wei Shi, she was extremely respectful, and it was clear from her demeanor that she genuinely wished to marry into their family.

How could Wei Shi not be pleased?

Right then and there, Wei Shi placed a gold hairpin she had specially prepared into Zhang Xiaofu’s hair—a clear sign that she was very satisfied and had chosen this young woman.

With everything settled, there was no need to keep it a secret any longer. When Liu Yu came home for lunch, she shared the news with Lu Xun and Lu Chengzong at the dining table.

This was such a joyous occasion, and naturally, Lu Xun was pleased. After lunch, just as he was about to go offer his congratulations, two mule carts arrived at the shop entrance. The first to step out was Lu Shuang, followed by Chen Shi.

It turned out that a few days earlier, Lu Shuang had expressed a desire to stay in the county, and after consulting with her daughter-in-law, Chen Shi decided they would make it a permanent move. After spending a few days settling things at home, they packed up their daily necessities and took two mule carts from Changfeng Town to Anyi County. They were accompanied by Qin Shi, the grandchildren, and the siblings Ge An and Xiaoya.

According to Chen Shi, there was no shortage of hands in town, and since they planned to spend most of their time in the county, it made sense to bring Ge An along as an apprentice. The siblings could also keep each other company here.

As soon as Chen Shi stepped off the cart, before she had even finished organizing her things, Lu Xun told her about the good news of the Liu family’s upcoming marriage. Liu Yanqing was already twenty-two, which was considered a late age to marry in the Daqing Dynasty, and Chen Shi had heard Wei Shi worry about her eldest son’s marriage on more than one occasion.

Chen Shi had assumed that after managing Liu Yu’s wedding, Wei Shi would start focusing on finding a match for Liu Yanqing. She hadn’t expected things to move so quickly, and for the match to be with the county magistrate’s niece no less.

Intrigued and excited, Chen Shi didn’t even bother to unpack her own belongings. Instead, she called on the Lu family men to help move everything inside while she herself hurried over to the Ruyi Embroidery Shop to congratulate Wei Shi.

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